The Town FilesColonia, New Jersey
Community in Middlesex County · population 18,609 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $493,100
- Household income
- $122,713
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 43.6
Colonia is a community of 18,609 people in Middlesex County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $493,100, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks more of a college town than 74% of New Jersey towns, better for families than 71% of New Jersey towns, more walkable than 71% of New Jersey towns.
How Colonia ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Colonia is worth $493,100, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $122,713, which is more affordable than 43% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $2,047 a month. 88.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Colonia | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $493,100 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $2,047 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $122,713 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 88.9% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Colonia
| People | Colonia | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.2% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.7% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.4% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 3.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 27.1% | — |
| Work from home | 15.0% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 33.0 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.0% | 94.6% |
Weather in Colonia
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 23.8°F. About 48.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.4 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 103 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Colonia since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 7, 1998 about 2.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 7, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on September 9, 2023.
Severe weather in Middlesex County since 1996
Middlesex County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3451: Covid-19 |
| March 14, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4264: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Middlesex County
Middlesex County had 430,555 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $82,400 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Colonia itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Colonia
6 public schools with 3,091 students, about 10.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colonia High School | 9-12 | 1,359 | 11.0 |
| Colonia Middle School | 6-8 | 587 | 9.0 |
| Claremont Avenue Elementary School | K-5 | 311 | 13.5 |
| Pennsylvania Avenue Elementary School | PK-5 | 290 | 10.4 |
| Lynn Crest Elementary School | PK-5 | 289 | 9.6 |
| Oak Ridge Heights Elementary School | K-5 | 255 | 10.2 |
Towns near Colonia
- Iselin, NJ1.4 mi · 20,088 people · home $426,800
- Clark, NJ2.0 mi · 15,544 people · home $609,600
- Rahway, NJ2.0 mi · 29,556 people · home $386,400
- Avenel, NJ2.1 mi · 16,920 people · home $401,000
- Woodbridge, NJ2.2 mi · 103,639 people · home $433,000
- Menlo Park Terrace, NJ2.6 mi · 2,806 people · home $427,400
- Woodbridge, NJ2.8 mi · 19,839 people · home $390,000
- Fords, NJ3.7 mi · 12,941 people · home $438,000
Colonia questions
Is Colonia, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Colonia scores better for retirees than 27% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 28%. 19.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.6).
How much does a house cost in Colonia?
The median owner-occupied home in Colonia is valued at $493,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $122,713, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $2,047 a month.
What is the weather like in Colonia?
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 23.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.7 inches of precipitation a year and 21.4 inches of snow.
Does Colonia get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Colonia since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on September 7, 1998. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)